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A Taco Bell employee splurged on sneakers, a cellular phone and electric scooter rides employing credit history card information and facts she stole from buyers, according to South Carolina authorities.
Laquawanda Hawkins, 36, labored the drive-via at a Taco Bell in Hartsville exactly where law enforcement explained she took pics of customers’ payment playing cards, despite her manager getting just a several toes absent.
Law enforcement also pointed to surveillance online video displaying Hawkins in the act.
An “assistant manager positively identified Hawkins as the worker running the drive-via and committing the thefts,” Hartsville officers wrote in a report attained by McClatchy News. “She is so brazen and slick about it that she even does it when the supervisor is right guiding her stocking shelves.”
Hawkins was arrested June 17 on several counts of id fraud, credit rating card selection theft and obtaining goods fraudulently acquired, according to the police report. She was booked into the Darlington County Detention Heart and introduced 3 days afterwards just after putting up a $60,000 bond.
Officers have been very first alerted to the alleged thefts on June 6 after a target observed unauthorized fees on her financial institution card right after visiting the Taco Bell travel-via, according to the report. A duplicate of her assertion confirmed the fraudster tried out swiping her card at Pizza Hut and used it at an auto components retail outlet, in addition to racking up additional than $630 in Hen Scooter rentals.
At minimum two other victims arrived ahead with comparable grievances of fraudulent charges, police stated. 1 of them filed a police report following their card facts was used to pay back a town water invoice. A point out driver’s license submitted with the payment belonged to Hawkins, in accordance to authorities.
“There was also other prices produced to the card … for Bird Scooters, McDonald’s and a grocery pickup from Walmart,” officers wrote.
Hawkins was brought in for questioning on June 17 and acknowledged taking photos of credit rating and debit card quantities immediately after falling driving on her hire and utilities, the police report states. She denied sharing the numbers with any person else but mentioned it was probable her reside-in boyfriend saw the pictures on her cellphone.
Hawkins also acknowledged obtaining “some shoes” and new cell phone on the web, however she denied buying “as a lot stuff as (the victims) claimed,” officers wrote.
When asked if other Taco Bell staff experienced stolen customers‘ credit rating card facts, Hawkins replied, “Probably.”
Taco Bell Corp. said it is informed of the incident and takes “customer privateness critically.”
“The franchise operator and operator is operating with the area authorities and has informed us that the group member is no for a longer time with the business,” a corporation spokesperson explained to McClatchy Information in a statement.
Hartsville is about 70 miles northeast of Columbia.
This tale was originally printed June 23, 2022 12:59 PM.
Tanasia is a national Serious-Time reporter centered in Atlanta masking news across Georgia, Mississippi and the southeastern U.S. Her sub-beat is retail and client news. She’s an alumna of Kennesaw Point out College and joined McClatchy in 2020.
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